Pacific Notes: Myers, Chytil, Sherwood
With the Canucks heading for another postseason miss, they’re a team that’s expected to move out more veterans before the March 6th trade deadline. But one veteran who doesn’t want to be on the move is defenseman Tyler Myers. He told reporters including Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province that there’s “no question” that he wants to stay in Vancouver. The 35-year-old is in his seventh season with the Canucks and has largely played on the second pairing during that time, a role he still holds now. With one year left on his deal at an affordable $3MM, Myers is someone that teams will undoubtedly be inquiring about. However, he does control his fate this season with a full no-move clause; that protection dips to a 12-team no-trade list in July, however.
More from the Pacific:
- Still with the Canucks, center Filip Chytil met with the media yesterday (video link) before his return to the lineup. One thing he wanted to set the record straight on is the number of concussions he’s had. While speculation has suggested the number could be as high as eight, Chytil stated that he hasn’t had quite that many, though he declined to set the record straight on just how many he has dealt with. Head injuries (concussion or otherwise) have been an issue for the 26-year-old, especially in recent years as he has been limited to just 73 games since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
- After acquiring Kiefer Sherwood, the Sharks reached out about a contract extension but there’s apparently a sizable gap to bridge on that front. GM Mike Grier spoke to reporters earlier this week including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News and wouldn’t rule out the possibility of listening to offers on Sherwood. That said, he was quick to call the winger a targeted acquisition and he’s clearly someone that they envision fitting on the roster beyond this season. But Sherwood’s hot start offensively and his physical prowess could potentially push his next contract past the $5MM per season mark despite the 30-year-old only being a full-time NHL player for three years now. If he remains unsigned leading up to the deadline, it’s possible that Sherwood finds himself back in trade speculation.
Afternoon Notes: Kleven, Player Fines, Devils
This afternoon TSN’s Bruce Garrioch updated that Tyler Kleven expects to play tomorrow, as the Sens host Nashville in an afternoon tilt. Garrioch also mentioned Drake Batherson, who remains sidelined, but is still expected to return sometime this week, as noted yesterday. Having both been injured in training camp, last week it was speculated that the pair of Senators could possibly have appeared for the team’s season opener. While that was not the case, it appears Batherson and Kleven are on the cusp of a return, joining the one-win, one-loss club with high expectations this season.
Elsewhere across the league:
- This afternoon, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced a pair of $2,500 fines from infractions during Saturday’s games; the recipients being Ian Cole and Tyler Myers. Cole caught discipline for what was noted as a “dangerous trip” on Steven Stamkos. Next, fellow veteran Myers was fined for slashing Connor McDavid. Cole was caught up in a bizarre play with Stamkos, where both players ended up in the box as the Nashville forward’s stick struck Cole as he came down from the trip. Meanwhile, Myers was looking to box out attackers around Thatcher Demko, business as usual for the 6’8” defenseman, when he swung his stick upward, catching McDavid in the groin area, leading to a minor penalty.
- With newcomer Evgenii Dadonov likely to miss multiple weeks with a fractured hand, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now speculated earlier today on how the lineup should adjust. Nichols pointed out prospect Shane Lachance as deserving of an opportunity to be called up for his NHL debut. Acquired from Edmonton by New Jersey in the three-team deal headlined by Trent Frederic last season, Lachance, a former 6th-round pick has become a standout prospect for the Devils. After two respectable seasons with Boston University, the 6’5” forward turned pro last season, appearing in two games with AHL Utica, netting a goal and an assist. Although he has yet to find the scoresheet early on this season with the Comets, Lachance has the frame to slot into any lineup. Nichols also mentioned exciting rookie Arseny Gritsyuk as a candidate to move up to a top-line role, perhaps holding down the fort for his mentor, Dadonov. Regardless, it is a tough blow for a Devils’ club which is all too familiar with injuries to key players.
Pacific Notes: Eichel, Kempe, Canucks Injuries
With today’s news that one of the league’s biggest superstars has elected to sign a record-shattering eight-year contract extension with the Minnesota Wild, leaguewide focus has shifted to other stars currently without a contract for next season, including Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel. Eichel’s camp, which is led by Pat Brisson of CAA, is currently “engaged in ongoing contract discussions and negotiations” according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Pagnotta did note, though, that talks between the two parties are “currently going slow” and “a deal is not yet in the offing.”
Eichel, 28, is in line for a lucrative contract extension of his own. He has already proven himself to be a star first-line center in the NHL, one capable of leading a team to a Stanley Cup championship. Set to turn 29 in October, he’s positioned to sign what will be the largest contract of his career, and earlier this month it was reported that both Eichel and the Golden Knights agree that Eichel’s next deal should carry the maximum possible term. Pierre LeBrun said today on TSN’s Insider Trading that he isn’t sure whether Vegas will have the appetite to go too far above the $12MM AAV they pledged to Mitch Marner this past summer, while Eichel and his camp are likely to expect a number closer to the $14MM AAV owed to Leon Draisaitl on his contract extension.
Other notes from the Pacific Division:
- A player in a similar, albeit not identical, boat to Eichel is Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe, who is also without a contract for next season. It was reported earlier this month by Pagnotta that Kempe’s camp was seeking an eight-year, $10MM AAV contract extension, while the Kings were hoping to sign a deal more in the range of $9MM AAV. With that disagreement in mind, both Kempe’s representatives (led by CAA’s J.P. Barry) and the Kings elected to postpone contract talks – likely until each side could see the value of Kaprizov’s contract. Now with that matter settled, both sides are set to resume contract negotiations, according to The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein. While Kempe, 29, is not considered the same level of player as Kaprizov, he nonetheless has easily cleared the 70-point plateau in each of the last two seasons and has thrice scored at least 35 goals in a season. It would be fair to speculate that if the disagreement between Kempe’s camp and the Kings remains on whether he’s worth closer to $9MM and $10MM AAV on his next deal, the fact that Kaprizov will make $17MM will almost certainly aid Kempe’s side of the argument.
- Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre reported that while both Conor Garland and Tyler Myers “have been managing minor” injuries during the Canucks’ preseason and training camp, both players “have asked” to play in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames. MacIntyre added that “neither” player is likely to be unfit to play in the team’s season opener. Both Garland and Myers are key veteran contributors to the Canucks: the feisty Garland is an important part of the team’s offensive identity in its middle-six, while Myers was the team’s number-four defenseman last season. With the Canucks entering an extremely important campaign, it’s encouraging news that neither player looks set to miss any regular-season time.
Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Canucks’ Tyler Myers Given Three-Game Suspension
Jan. 20th: The NHL Department of Player Safety has issued their punishments to McDavid and Myers. Both players have been issued three-game suspensions for cross-checking.
Jan.19th: Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland on Saturday. Garland grappled with McDavid in the final seconds of Vancouver’s 3-2 win, and McDavid responded by hitting Garland in the face. In the ensuing scrum, Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers also cross-checked Oilers defender Evan Bouchard in the face. Myers will also have a hearing with Player Safety. Both McDavid and Myers received match penalties for their infractions. The date and time of either hearing are yet to be determined – as is whether the hearings will be virtual or in-person, which will change the length of suspension both players will be eligible for.
This news brings a peak to McDavid’s recent violent streak. He gained notoriety after, seemingly, inadvertently elbowing Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson in the teams’ January 15th matchup. Johansson was placed on injured reserve with a concussion the next day. McDavid also earned scour with a high-stick against Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek in Saturday’s game, catching the defender up high after breaking into the zone. McDavid’s match penalty for cross-checking Garland was his first in-game penalty for any of these infractions – and, coupled with a game ejection, earned him a career-high 15 penalty minutes in one game.
It will be hard to determine how long either McDavid or Myers could miss with their looming hearing. Both players committed similar infractions, at the tail-end of an already-won game. But nine other players also received penalties for the late-game scrum, which could lead the league to react lighter to two big pieces of a larger scrum. Alternatively, this will be an opportunity for NHL Player Safety to send a message on stick infractions and headshots across the league, by coming down hard on the face of the NHL.
Evening Notes: Myers, Dunn, Peterka
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers is dressed tonight for the Vancouver Canucks as they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning (as per TSN). Myers was injured in the Canucks shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday and was considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The initial reports were that the 16-year NHL veteran and the Canucks had dodged a bullet and given that he is playing tonight, that appears to be the case.
Myers has worked to improve his defensive game in recent seasons and is coming off his best season with the Canucks last year. The 34-year-old posted five goals and 24 assists in 77 games last season and was signed to a three-year $9MM contract extension on June 27th.
In other evening notes:
- Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn took the pre-game skate with the team and is playing tonight against the Nashville Predators (as per Kraken reporter Bob Condor). Dunn had been dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss the team’s last game against the Dallas Stars. He reportedly suffered the injury after taking a hit from Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno and has reclaimed his spot on the top pair as well as the first powerplay unit. Dunn has a goal and an assist at the start of the year but has struggled on the possession front in his limited sample size, posting a CF% of 40% at even strength.
- Michael Augello of The Hockey News is reporting that the Buffalo Sabres are hopeful that they will have forward JJ Peterka in the lineup tomorrow night when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Peterka joined his teammates for practice once again, marking his second day in a row as a full participant after suffering a concussion in Czechia. The 22-year-old exited Buffalo’s 3-1 loss to New Jersey on October 5th after he took a hit up high from Devils defender Brenden Dillon. Peterka returned to the ice a few days later and worked out for almost a week in a limited capacity before he began to ramp things up. If he responds well to the extra work in practice the Sabres are optimistic that he can play tomorrow night.
Pacific Injury Notes: Vlasic, Karlsson, Myers
Veteran San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic told media that he’s hoping to return to action in a few weeks, and described his injury as “upper-body-ish”, shares Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Vlasic has been facing the ailment since the start of training camp, missing the bulk of camp activities and getting placed on injured reserve on October 7th. That’s the same day that he returned to the team’s practices, though he’s made it clear that he’s still a ways out.
Vlasic fell out of the Sharks lineup last season, missing time to both injury and routine healthy scratches. That includes an upper-body injury suffered in February that held Vlasic out for two weeks, though he was able to play in 24 more games before the season ended. He’s popping up on the injury report more and more in his golden years, with multi-week absences in every season since 2019. Once a core fixture of the Sharks blue-line, the 37-year-old Vlasic now sits on the outskirts of the lineup – even when healthy. He’ll first focus on getting back to full health, and then faces a battle with youngsters Jack Thompson and Henry Thrun for depth minutes.
Other notes from out West:
- Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters that centerman William Karlsson won’t travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip, shares Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His next chance to return will most likely come when the Golden Knights return home on October 22nd, though Cassidy didn’t rule out the possibility of Karlsson joining the team midway through the trip. He was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury on October 8th. He started training camp healthy, but was quickly bumped out of the lineup by injury and now hasn’t skated since September 26th. Karlsson recorded 60 points, split evenly, in 70 games with the Golden Knights last season. He’ll stand as a pivotal piece of the lineup when he’s back to full health, especially after Chandler Stephenson moved to Seattle and Jonathan Marchessault moved to Nashville this summer.
- Vancouver Canucks defender Tyler Myers seems to have avoided the worst of things after having his ankle landed on awkwardly in Friday night’s matchup with Philadelphia. Myers needed helped off the ice. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet designated the defender as day-to-day and shared that he will travel with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip, shares Canucks Army’s Jeff Paterson. Vancouver dodges a blow to their shallowest position group with this news, though Canucks Army’s Clarke Corsan lists Mark Friedman and Erik Brannstrom as potential fill-ins while Myers nurses his ankle.
Canucks Sign Tyler Myers To Three-Year Extension
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin continues his slew of moves over the past 24 hours. He’s gotten another one of his pending UFAs locked in, now signing defenseman Tyler Myers to a three-year extension worth $9MM ($3MM cap hit). The deal breaks down as follows, per TSN’s Darren Dreger:
2024-25: $3.8MM base salary, no-move clause
2025-26: $2.9MM base salary, no-move clause
2026-27: $2.3MM base salary, 12-team no-trade list
It’s the third player slated to hit the open market this summer that Vancouver has retained thus far. They’ve also re-upped center Teddy Blueger (two years, $1.8MM AAV) and Dakota Joshua (four years, $3.25MM AAV) to continue boasting solid scoring depth among their bottom six forwards.
Under this deal, Myers will return for his sixth, seventh and eighth seasons in Vancouver. The 34-year-old Texas native joined the Canucks in free agency five years ago, inking a deal that was criticized at the time for its $6MM cap hit. His extension represents a pay cut of 50 percent, but it’s about what his market value would have likely been if he became a free agent next week.
He’s likely best used as a bottom-pairing anchor at this stage of his career. That’s where first-year head coach Rick Tocchet deployed him this season, yielding arguably the best results Myers has put up in a Canucks jersey. The veteran put up 29 points in 77 games, his highest point total since his final season with the Jets in 2018-19, and posted a career-high +16 rating with slightly improved possession metrics in more defense-oriented usage. Correspondingly, it was the first time in his 15-year career that he’d averaged under 20 minutes per game.
Whether Myers will still be worth his new cap hit in the final year of his deal, during which he’ll be turning 37, is a fair question to ask. But with the salary cap expected to jump significant amounts each season as the league is in a strong post-COVID financial state, it shouldn’t be too much of a drag as Allvin continues to try and build out a Cup-contending roster in British Columbia.
Since being selected 12th overall by the Sabres in 2008, the hulking 6’8″ defender has 93 goals, 278 assists, 371 points and a +9 rating in 995 career games. Assuming there’s no freak offseason or early-campaign injuries, he’ll become the 395th (or 396th, looking at Luke Schenn) skater in NHL history to hit 1,000 games played.
After this deal, the Nucks have just over $12MM in projected cap space for next season, per CapFriendly. They have four roster spots to fill, notably those of pending UFAs Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.
Evening Notes: Myers, Lafferty, Kylington, Markstrom
Heading into the offseason, the Vancouver Canucks have several quality players heading for unrestricted free agency. In an article today by David Pagnotta of TheFourthPeriod, he touches on the organization’s negotiations with defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Sam Lafferty.
A little over a week ago, it was reported that both Myers and the Canucks wanted to pursue an extension — but it will need to be for a much lower AAV than his previous $6MM salary. It does not appear that the two sides have even started exchanging salary figures, which could push Myers towards unrestricted free agency on July 1st. Vancouver has four defensemen set to hit the open market with an additional restricted free agent to worry about, and the Canucks would be wise to extend some of them well before free agency kicks off.
Unlike Myers, it does not appear that Lafferty wants to extend his stay in Vancouver, but Pagnotta points out that the two sides haven’t shut the door completely. After completing his two-year, $2.3MM contract that he originally signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, Lafferty has earned a shot at more earning power this summer after posting 13 goals and 24 points with the Canucks this season.
Other notes:
- In the same article from Pagnotta, defenseman Oliver Kylington and his camp are still waiting on a contract offer from the Calgary Flames. It was only a few weeks ago that Pagnotta originally confirmed that the Flames organization was preparing an offer for the Masterton Trophy finalist. After missing nearly two years, Kylington’s arrival back in Calgary was well received, especially after the team made significant changes to its blue line. If he does extend, Kylington should be able to fetch nearly identical value to his recent two-year, $5MM contract with the Flames.
- Staying in Calgary, Pagnotta indicates that the Flames and New Jersey Devils are working hard towards a Jacob Markstrom trade. The two sides were nearly in agreement on a trade that would send Markstrom to New Jersey at the trade deadline, but the deal collapsed in the final stages. Although Markstrom remains the ideal candidate for the Devils, there will be other options available this summer if Calgary’s asking price exceeds expectations.
Pacific Notes: Oilers GM, Perry, Myers, Blueger
Elliotte Friedman reported on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that the Edmonton Oilers may need to go through the NHL entry draft with an interim general manager if they don’t extend current GM Ken Holland. If Holland does move on, the Oilers wouldn’t have enough time to conduct a search before the draft later this month and might need to lean heavily on their scouting staff to get them through a busy time of year.
Holland has not signed an extension in Edmonton despite having the team in the Stanley Cup Finals and would be highly sought after if he hits the open market given his resume with both the Oilers and the Detroit Red Wings. Holland has won three Stanley Cups as a general manager and a fourth as assistant general manager and goaltending coach. All four Stanley Cups victories came with the Red Wings.
In other Pacific Division notes:
- Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry is set to collect an additional $50K in performance bonuses after the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Finals last night (as per Puck Pedia). Perry’s bonus brings Edmonton’s final penalty for overages this season to $3.55MM which will be added to their cap for next season. The 39-year-old reached another milestone last night becoming the first player in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Finals with five different teams, including four times in the last five seasons.
- David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period writes that the talk of a Tyler Myers extension with the Vancouver Canucks might be a bit premature as the two sides have just started talking about extending their deal. Pagnotta notes that both the Canucks and Myers have an interest in getting an extension done, but the talk surrounding a new contract is “noise” at this point. Myers is coming off his most productive season in Vancouver and reportedly lives in nearby Kelowna during the summer which is certainly part of his desire to stay in British Columbia.
- Pagnotta adds that the Canucks have interest in bringing back forward Teddy Blueger. The 29-year-old had one of the most productive seasons of his career with Vancouver, posting six goals and 22 assists in 68 games tying his career-high in points with 28. The Riga, Latvia native signed a one-year $1.9MM contract with Vancouver on July 1st, 2023, and provided good value to the Canucks that extended well beyond his offensive contributions. Pagnotta notes that the Canucks plan to circle back to Blueger later in the month, which makes sense given the quality and quantity of pending free agents the team will have to deal with over the next month.
Evening Notes: Myers, Graves, Alfredsson
Ben Kuzma of The Vancouver Province writes that Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers is hoping to re-sign with the Canucks and remain in Vancouver. The 34-year-old had his best season in Vancouver, playing in a reduced role that saw him average less than 20 minutes per game for the first time in his career. The reduced playing time benefitted Myers and he posted five goals and 24 assists in 77 games which were his best numbers since his last year in Winnipeg back in 2018-19.
Kuzma writes that Myers is projected for a $3MM AAV on a three-year deal which would be much more palatable than the $6MM that Myers made this past season. If the Canucks can lock Myers up around that number it will allow them to pivot to their remaining free-agent defenseman Ian Cole, Filip Hronek, and Nikita Zadorov.
In other evening notes:
- After a poor first season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Graves became a lightning rod for criticism from fans of the team. Dan Kingerski writes that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be best to avoid buying out the remaining five years of the contract which would lead to an annual cost of $750K for the next ten years. Penguins’ general manager Kyle Dubas has stated in the past that he prefers trades to buyouts and given the season that Graves just had it would be nearly impossible to find a trade partner unless the Penguins agree to take back a bad contract. The Penguins have a need for a top-6 forward as well as some depth scoring on their bottom two lines and have just under $13MM in available cap space. Moving Graves would go a long way to opening up the room to maneuver, but given the circumstances, it seems likely that he will be with the team next season.
- Ottawa Senators great Daniel Alfredsson is leaning towards returning to his assistant coaching role next season under new head coach Travis Green (as per Bruce Garrioch). The franchise’s all-time leading scorer was brought back to the franchise in a player-development role, but that role was changed when the Senators relieved previous head coach D.J. Smith of his duties. The Senators will have to fill out their coaching staff and have been linked to former NHL head coach Mike Yeo as well as former NHLer and current Manitoba Moose assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner.